In the field of automotive repair, mechanics can work on an engine by crawling underneath the automobile, by placing the automobile on a hydraulic or pneumatic lift, or by leaning or crawling over the front fenders or radiator to reach the engine from the top.
When working down from over the engine of an automobile, there are significant problems. One problem is to be able to reach areas of the engine which are distant from the front or side fenders of the car. Generally, the larger the car, the greater the problem. A second problem is the severe back strain which results from maintaining the extended, leaning position for any period of time. This back strain can be only partially alleviated by leaning on the engine itself, which offers for support sharp protuberances, rough, greasy surfaces and, often as not, metal which is hot enough to blister skin on contact. A third problem, related to the two foregoing problems, is the marring of the outside surfaces of the automobile, particularly the tops of fenders, while the mechanic leans on and over them.
Cushioned mats, which have soft undersides and durable top covers, are available for offering some protection to the outside surfaces of the automobile. The mats, however, are subject to sliding around, due to the normal body motion of the mechanic leaning on them, and they become quite grimy with time. Accessibility to engine areas is not increased, nor is comfort increased.
The subject invention, however, provides full body support for a mechanic working over the engine compartment of an automobile. The apparatus provides easy access to the innermost areas of the engine, completely obviating the need for seeking any additional support upon any surface of the engine and without any marring contact with the outside surfaces of the automobile. In view of the fact that the subject invention obviates the need for a mechanic to prop himself up with at least one hand or elbow, a mechanic utilizing the subject invention now has full freedom of motion for both arms, making his job that much easier. In the preferred embodiments, the subject invention is further designed such that the whole apparatus stably flexes under load, thereby resulting in additional comfort.
Some prior art references bear some structural resemblance to elements of the subject invention. One is U.S. Pat. No. 2,480,406 (Forney) which discloses a similarly shaped, but non-foldable tubular frame with a supporting material stretched therebetween. The user sits on the frame as though it were a chair, with his legs pushed through a hole in the supporting material and his feet still touching the ground. There is no means provided in the base elements to permit stable flexing or to withstand side-to-side rocking, as in the subject invention. A second is U.S. Pat. No. 1,162,000 (Turner) which discloses a ladder supported by a base member, with an adjustable diagonal base disposed therebetween.
It is clear that neither of these devices is in any way suitable for comfortably and stably supporting the body of a mechanic working over the engine compartment of an automobile.